The Change (Fated Series: book1)

“Not gonna happen, so don’t you even bother making that adorable puppy face!” Nessa told Marcus sternly.

The more she explained to him why mating was out of the question, the more creative reasons he came up with as to why it was a brilliant idea. Talk about being stubborn!

“Not happening!”

“Am I not your puppy?” Marcus tried again.

“I thought you were my big bad Alpha,” Nessa countered by taking the pins out of her hair. She had failed miserably at swatting his hands away before he successfully ruined her hair. So much for the hair-do that she was trying to make for the last twenty minutes. The way hair looked screaming BED HAIR and something was telling her Marcus would have not complained had she decided they are staying in bed. She might have even locked the door and put a neon light “Mating in progress” for all he cared. He had one thing on his mind and as difficult as it was for her to stand her ground, it was not the right time.

She wondered why Marcus wasn’t more focused on Alpha Stevens than her. In his place, she would have. After all, he was the sole mastermind behind Marcus’ pain. Why wouldn’t Marcus be out for blood? Instead he was enthusiastically implying naughty things that she would have gladly indulged in, had it not been for Alex. She had to eventually face him and she was gladly postponing the inevitable mouthful that he would have to say when he saw her. She wanted to not care about his opinion, but everything inside her craved his approval and as pathetic as it sounded she wanted her big brother back. It didn’t matter that he had left, that he hadn’t been there for her. Blood was blood and frustrating enough, she was willing to forgive him all and let him back into her life… Oh, well that depended solely on his reaction to their marking and mating. She would not give up on Marcus, even if that caused her the possible revitalization of her relationship with Alex.

How did Marcus call it?

Ah, right – politics, which played a crucial role in Marcus’ world. Maybe it was time for her to practice some politics on her own, especially when it came to dealing with Alex. Wouldn’t things be all simple and easy if wolves actually spoke their minds instead of hiding behind necessities? Somehow the image of Marcus speaking his mind in front of Alpha Stevens didn’t sit well; but beating the living crap out of him - did. Her imagination drew grotesque images of the Alpha in question. Nessa did not need to know how the Alpha looked to imagine the end result of Marcus’ handiwork. There was no doubt who would win such a tussle.

It was strange how the pure knowledge of the events that led Marcus’ pain brought up mixed feelings to Nessa. She supported his revenge, but at the same time a little part of her kept nagging her, she was a hypocrite. She was happy to be with Marcus. Had his fated mate not passed away, she would have never had a chance with him. And as selfish as it sounded (even in her own head), she was not able to go back to her life before him.

It was too casual. Usual. Grey.

He was her life. And as sure as she needed air, she knew she needed him. She would not be able to give him up. Not to anyone else. He was hers! She was going possessive on his fine behind and secretly admitted she loved it. In fact, she was proud of it.

She narrowed her eyes as Marcus circled her. What was he doing? Was he circling her as if she were his prey? Before she could call him out on it, she recognized the primal hunger clear in his eyes, just before he lunged at her.

“You know, the big bad Alpha takes anything he wants without asking,” Marcus playfully explained.

“Do that with your mate, and you’ll be in the dog house!”

Maybe calling him a big bad Alpha was not one of her brightest ideas. Insulting him didn’t help matters, but her tongue spoke before her mind could comprehend what she was saying. His stunned expression was priceless and it lasted only for a couple of seconds before he snarled at her statement.

“Pun indented.”

“My mate will absolutely enjoy the activities I have planned,” Marcus suggestively winked at her in the mirror. Nessa shook her head. She had to be strong or else face Alex blushing like a schoolgirl. Marcus must have felt her indecisiveness and quickly snaked his arms around her waist, making her lean into his chest. She sighed feeling his scent envelop her in a tighter embrace. “I know my mate is not against said activities, as she had actively participated in them before…”

“Exactly. But Marcus, right now I don’t feel we should. I mean it’s weird.”

“But I can make you feel so good… Don’t you want to feel good?” Marcus reasoned.

“I am feeling incredible as it is.”

Marcus slowly moved his hand over her belly. His cologne was strong and masculine, giving her the comfort of knowing she could rely on him. The strong, independent woman she thought she was, was slowly dissolving into the needy mate, she had promised herself never to become. She closed her eyes and enjoyed how he snuggled into her. She could be vulnerable in his presence, and somehow it didn’t seem all that bad to her. He was her other half. If she could let her guard down, it would be with him.

Nessa gasped as he moved his hand over her groin and cupped her through her jeans.

“You had to spoil my moment,” Nessa huffed and tried to move away.

“I’m trying to enhance your moment, but you wouldn’t let me,” Marcus’ husky voice complained.

“We are going to greet your nemesis and …”

Marcus unbuttoned her jeans and slipped his hand in, all in one fluid movement which surprised her. Instead of being angry with him, she found herself wondering if that familiarity was due to confidence or experience. Jealousy was a bitter pill to swallow. “Choice mates” implied that this was not their first time settling down with someone. He had been with others before, but strangely that bothered her. Stop it! She also had others before him. Even though her experience was on the sour side, she could not blame him for having had previous relationships. If she was so jealous and possessive, how would he feel? He was an Alpha after all. Did she dare open the ex can of worms? Damn, if she didn’t do something she would either flat out ask him or end up being mated. His hands were remarkably progressing, routing for the latter.

“Would that be so bad?” her wolf shot back at her.

“No, but I don’t want to do it when everyone is expecting us to.”

“So what?”

“Alex.”

“You weren’t thinking about him the first, the second or the third time you had our mate!”

“It was different,” Nessa shot back at her annoying wolf. Talk about timing. All those times when Nessa would have been ecstatic had her wolf so much as poked through the silence that occupied her mind and drove her insane for so many years, she simply wouldn’t nudge. Now that Nessa had everything under control, the mutt would not shut up.

“I am part of you, you mutt!” Her wolf shot back.

Nessa cringed.

“Internal turmoil?” Marcus' voice snapped her attention to him. His lips were pressed against her ear and his hand was still…. Nessa quickly wrapped her hand around his wrist and extracted its present location with some resistance on his part. She interlaced her fingers with his and turned around to face him.

“The mutt wants you butt naked right away,” Nessa replied.

“You don’t say. Give me 10 seconds,” Marcus shot back at her.

“How difficult would it be if I tried to kidnap you?” She asked out of hand. Marcus stopped trailing kisses onto her neck and looked at her, his interest peaking.

“Easy, I wouldn’t put up a fight. What do you have in mind?”

“We slip out and have a romantic get-away…”

“And we mate?” Marcus continued her statement.

“That too. I want to spend time with you without interruptions or nosy people! I really want to know you,” Nessa confessed.

“It’s Alexander, isn’t it? You don’t want him to know that his sis is up to no good with the big bad Alpha,” Marcus teased her. Nessa felt her cheeks redden. He must have taken it as an agreement as he continued, “Whole weekend you say?”

Nessa nodded.

“And you wouldn’t tell your friends? I don’t want them to pop by and occupy your attention.”

“Well, I might have to call them to say I am alive. You know with your reputation and all.”

“They’ll figure it out,” Marcus said and then quickly kissed her, zipping and buttoning her jeans in one fluid motion. “Ready? Grab your bag and we’re leaving.”

“What about your guest?”

“Cam is perfectly capable and within reason can extend my hospitality,” Marcus grinned. “What more insulting than that?”

“Marcus!”

“No, no… Actually, it’s perfect. I am kidnapped by my unmated mate. I am helpless to say no to her. Anyone would clearly understand the power mates’ yield over each other. Chop-chop! We don’t want to be caught here,” Marcus bossed her.

“I thought I was kidnapping you,” Nessa mumbled as she picked up her bag.

“Details,” Marcus waved her off and went by her door, his hand reaching out back for her.

Marcus

If someone had told him just mere months ago that he would be sneaking out of his own Pack House with a gorgeous she-wolf in tow, he would have thought them insane. After Emma everything was a monotonous chore, business he was accustomed to take care of. The pack relied on him so he made sure he put one foot in front of the other every morning and put off the inevitable for as long as he could. He was content and disturbingly functional for a lifeless shell of a person, he had become over the years. His only motivation was revenge. His only goal was annihilation. The consequence of it all was isolation. He didn’t realize it until he met Nessa. His lively, lovely little minx.

Now not only did he find his Choice mate, who was currently subconsciously squeezing his hand in hers and following his lead across the Pack House, but he was absolutely floating on air of the excitement they might get caught, the fun of pranking Cam and the inevitable insult to his enemy. Everything was politically correct, socially – understandable but all the way very insulting. It was times like this, he felt at his best. He had Nessa to thank for all this entertainment. His eyes trailed down to his side and took the waterfall of brown curls, cascading down his arm as Nessa was leaning against his shoulder blade and trying to look in front of them.

It was amazing how her surrender to let him lead made his wolf proud. In the same time, her wolf was peeking and showing through in her persistence, giving her the awareness of her surroundings. No longer did she look gorgeous. She looked powerful, in control – just the perfect Alpha mate.

HIS mate!

For the life of it all he could not muster why Brandon would let such a gem slip through his fingers and follow regulations to mate with Juliet. Not that Juliet Grey was not an astonishing specimen by herself. She simply did not have the spark which burned within Nessa. Marcus knew, Juliet would have never gone against regulations. He remembered Alpha Grey’s attempt to peak his interest in Juliet and the endless visits which Marcus suffered through before he had met Emma.

But not even his Fated, Emma, would have never considered kidnapping him from the pack house. Nessa was demanding his attention, pushing and nudging him to break through his shell of a life every step of the way and he loved her for it.

Partners in crime.

That was what they were. Now and for the rest of their lives as he was surely not letting anyone end their happiness prematurely. They would have a long life and many pups. He grinned at the thought of pups. Perhaps it was a good idea to get a couple and then slowly increase the number if they prove not to be a handful. Knowing Nessa, she would want to have the final say on the matter. Yes, two or three is what he would suggest. He didn’t want to overwhelm her… Initially. On the other hand, he wanted to have the time to enjoy his little mate even after the kids came. He let a smile plaster on his lips as he snapped out of his daydreaming. It was so easy to forget himself when he was thinking of her. He wanted her in his life and he simply could not wait to see their future together.

Marcus sobered up and opened his mind to detect any pack member in the vicinity. At first the idea of sneaking out of the Pack House seemed like a walk in the park. After all, he was the Alpha and he had all the home-field advantage, but quickly bypassing the aimlessly roaming folk, currently inhabiting his house, proved to be annoying the living hell out of him. He was ready to snap and command them to clear a path for them to sneak out. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that once Nessa found out (and he had no doubt she would eventually), she would be livid. Her threat of making him sleep into the dog house quickly spun around his mind. He did not want to test how far she would go to carry out her threat. Like the good captive that he was, not only did he volunteer as much information as possible to keep them away from prying eyes, but he also stepped up and took over Nessa’s plan.

As they rounded the corner for one of the exits, he quickly skitted to a halt as the scent carried over. Nessa arched her eyebrow at him and before he could reply, a very familiar sleek voice came.

“Aha, I told you, I would help you find him. Good afternoon, Alpha Ned. I assume this is the famous Luna everyone is talking about!”